On February 8, 2012, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Bob Ross, through the Secure Our Schools Grant, U.S. Department of Justice, Valparaiso Police Department, and Valparaiso Community Schools will offer part one of a Train-the-Trainer Diversity Class designed to provide organizations and individuals (school, community, law enforcement, government, not-for-profit, etc.) with skills necessary to understand and identify strategies to respectfully address issues of diversity within our community. The first session will identify concerns specific to Valparaiso. Bob will ask the tough questions and there will be homework.
The second session on April 25, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. will take the information gleaned from participant homework and provide participants with teaching skills necessary to pass their knowledge on to other members of our community in the same respectful and compassionate manner for which Bob is known.
Both sessions are free for participants through our Secure Our Schools Grant and will be offered at Valparaiso Police Department unless a larger community response would require us to move it to a larger facility.
We are asking two questions:
- From what three areas of diversity would our community and schools most benefit from better understanding and learning more about?
- How would a better understanding of these three areas of diversity make our community and our schools better, safer, and more accepting places to live and learn?
The training is open to any community member. Anyone who would like to participant is asked to fill out this participant form and return it to Pat Swanson, pswanson@valpopd.com, as soon as possible.